For a recent visit to the searchroom, we produced this photograph of Mrs Waygood, postmistress of Glanvilles Wootton. The inscription on the back proudly proclaims her ‘The oldest postmistress in England, probably’. Colour us intrigued! As we took a closer look at her life in our records, a tangled knot began to reveal itself… Simple… Read more Detangling a family tree
At Dorset History Centre, we are keen to encourage guest blogs from our readers detailing the research and work they are undertaking. Michael Pitfield has written us this second post (you can read the first here if you missed it) explaining where fifty years of genealogical research have led him… — For some 50 years,… Read more The Pitfield Family of Fordington
At Dorset History Centre, we are keen to encourage guest blogs from our readers detailing the research and work they are undertaking. In this blog, Michael Pitfield explains where fifty years of genealogical research have led him… — For some 50 years, my distant cousin Hugh Pitfield and I have been researching our Pitfield genealogy.… Read more The Pitfield Family of Dorset
Whilst recently searching our smaller collections, we found this archive of six postcards showing different location in Dorset. Though catalogued for the images on the front, it was the messages on the back that piqued our interest. “Dear Racheal. I expect you will be surprised to hear that I am married” starts the 1912 postcard… Read more A Research Rabbit-hole!
Sometimes forums such as the Dorset History Centre blog can uncover further stories in your family history or information on a village or house history to add to your research. The recent two part blog by Valerie Brenton (here and here) following a family in Sturminster Newton Workhouse, some of whom emigrated to Newfoundland, chimed… Read more The Rowlands of Hinton St Mary
This is part two of a guest blog written for Dorset History Centre by Valerie Brenton. You can read part one here! — Incomplete Stories Sometimes the records do not exist or there is not enough detail in the records to confirm beyond doubt that they belong to the person being researched. In some cases… Read more From Workhouse Records: Sturminster Newton Workhouse to Newfoundland (part 2)
The Ancestry website is usually available free of charge at Dorset History Centre and in Dorset Libraries. During the current situation, when these centres are closed, Dorset Libraries are offering free access to Ancestry to anyone with a Dorset Library card. Other library services often offer this, and you may wish to check for services… Read more How to find Dorset records on Ancestry…
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